Toggle switch



June 5, 1956 K, J. CHICHESTER TOGGLE SWITCH Filed Dec. 29, 1953 United States Patent Oflice 2,749,400 Patented June 5, 1956 TOGGLE SWITCH Kenneth J. Chichester, Stamford, Conn., assignor to Talon, Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 29, 1953, Serial No. 401,018

Claims. (Cl. 200-67) This invention relates to electric switches and more particularly to a toggle switch of the type which may be relatively biased to either an open circuit or closed circuit position.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to pro vide an improved toggle switch which is simple and inexpensive in its construction and manufacture and positive in its action.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved toggle switch which will operate with a snap action between open and closed circuit positions and which will insure a good electrical contact when in closed circuit position thereby preventing destructive arcing and increasing the capacity and life of the switch.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved toggle switch having the parts so constructed and arranged that it can be made relatively small so as to provide a switch of the so-called miniature type which is adapted to meet the needs of commercial operation.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent in the course of the following specification, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown for the purpose of illustration, an embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved toggle switch of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. i.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l and,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view in separated relation of the tiltable contact member and associated parts, showing them in alignment for assembly.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is provided a rectangular-shaped casing 2 preferably made of brass but which may be made of any suitable moldable material which houses the movable parts of the switch and which is open at both sides. The inner end of the casing 2 is closed by a base member 3 which is made of any suitable insulating material such as melmac. This casing 2 may be enlarged at its inner end to form a continuous internal shoulder 4 therearound for positioning and limiting the internal movement of the base member 3. This enlarged end of the casing has an ear portion 12 arranged therearound, which is clinched over and around the edge of the base 3, to hold these two members securely together. In this base member 3, there is arranged two contacts 5 and 6 with one arranged at each end thereof. These contacts are merely rivet-heads having a convex surface and constituting a part of the rivets 7 and 8, respectively, which extend through the base member 3. On the outer ends of these rivets 7 and 8 at the outer side of the base 3, there is arranged a pair of identical Wire terminal members 9 and 10 which are held in place by the heads of the respective rivets 7 and 8.

Centrally, of the base member 3, there arranged on the inner side thereof within the casing 2, a pivot or fulcrum member 13 which is secured to the base by means of a rivet 14 extending therethrough. On the inner side of the base 3 there is secured to the rivet 14, a wire terminal member 15 identical with the wire terminal members 9 and 10. This pivot member 13 has a pair of spaced apart inwardly extending flange portions 16 in each of which there is arranged a substantially V-shaped bearing notch 17 for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

Within the casing 2, there is arranged a movable or tiltable contact member 18 preferably made from a highly conductive material. There is carried by this contact member 18, centrally thereof, a pair of spaced apart substantially V-shaped ear portions or projections 20 which are spaced apart substantially the same distance as the flange portions 16 of the pivot member 13 are spaced apart. These V-shaped notches 17 of the pivot member 13 are slightly larger than the notches 17 and are provided for a purpose hereinafter to be described. There is arranged on the pivot member 13 in the space between the inwardly extending flange portions 16 and between the inner ends of V-shaped bearing portions 20 of the contact member 18, a keeper member 36, having spaced apart flange portions 37 for maintaining the V-shaped ears in position the \i shaped notches so as to prevent transverse displacement thereof. This keeper member 36 is also held in position by the rivet which is disposed in a hole in the bottom thereof. At each end of the contact member 18, there is arranged a contact button 21 made of a highly conductive material, such as silver, which engage and disengage with the respective contacts 5 and 6 arranged in the base 3.

On the outer side of the casing 2, there is arranged an exteriorly-threaded nipple-like member 22, the inner end of which is positioned in a circular hole in the outer side of the casing and which is held therein so as to be secured to the casing by means of an annular flange portion 23. There is arranged within the nipple-like member 22, a lever or handle member 24 having a portion which extends out through a slotted opening 24a in the outer end of this nipple-like member 23. On the inner end of the lever 24, there is arranged a spherical or bulbous portion 25 which is disposed within the nipplelike member and bears against an arcuate bearing surface 26 within the reduced neck portion at the outer end of the nipple-like member.

The lever or handle member 24 is axially hollow so as to provide a bore therein and there is arranged therein a compression spring 28 and a cylindrical plunger 29 with the plunger having an arcuate or semi-spherical end portion 3%. Within the nipple-line member 22- at the inner end thereof, there is arranged a floating pin member 31 which extends into the casing 2. One end of this pin member 31 has a concavity 32 therein so as to receive and cooperate with the inner arcuate or semi-spherical end portion 3% of the plunger 2?. The other or inner end of this pin member 31 is arcuate or semi-spherical in shape, as at 33, and seats in a concavity 34 in a disc or buttonlike member 35 made of an insulating material and which is attached to contact member 13 centrally thereof, as at 2'7.

Thus, it will be seen that the spring 23 within the operating lever 24 tends to force the spherical or bulbous bearing portion 25 of the lever against the annular bearing surface 26 within the neck portion of the nipple-like member 22 so as to maintain those ports in bearing engagement. Also, it will be seen that the spring 28 tends to force the plunger 29 inwardly so as to maintain the arcuate end portion 30 in the concavity 32 in the end of the pin member 31 which in turn maintains the arcuate end portion 33 in the concavity 34 in the button-like mem araaaoo if; her 35 so as to force and maintain the projections 20 in engagement with the movable contact member 18. The outer end portion of the pin member 31, is disposed to one side or the other of the nipple-like member 22 to hold the contact member in one or the other of its tilted positions,

it will be understood that upon movement of the operating lever 24 to the left from the position shown in Fig. 2, the inner end portion of the pin member 31 will be moved to the right to position against the opposite side of the nippledike member 22 as the plunger 29 moves into the lever 24 against the action of the spring 28. When the inner end portion of the pin member 33 passes over center, it will be seen that the movable contact member 18 will be suddenly shifted or tilted from the position shown so as to separate the fixed and movable contacts at the left side of the switch and to engage the fixed and movable contacts at the right side.

As a result of my invention, it will be seen that there is provided an improved tiltable switch consisting of a minimum number of parts which may be inexpensively fabricated and assembled. Also, it will be seen that there is provided an improved switch of the toggle type which is positive in its action and one which is fool proof and so constructed that contact between the contacts is fully assured at all times.

While I have shown and described an embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purpose of illustration and description, and that other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. in a switch of the class described, a casing, a base attached to said casing having at least a pair of fixed contacts with one arranged at opposite ends thereof, a tiltable contact member arranged in said casing engageable alternately with said fixed contacts, current carrying fulcrum means tiltably supporting said contact member centrally thereof, comprising a member carried by said base having a pair of spaced apart flange portions carried thereby with each of said flange portions having substantially a V-shaped notch arranged therein, said contact member having a pair of spaced apart substantially V-shaped projections carried thereby spaced apart substantially the same distance as said flange portions and which are positioned in the V-shaped notches of said flan e portions, actuating means for tilting said contact member consisting of a manually operated lever having a plunger slidably arranged therewith, a pin member arranged and extending between the outer end of said plunger and the center of said contact member, said pin member having an engaging portion at one end thereof which engages with the end of said plunger and an arcuate end portion on the opposite end which engages with a concavity arranged centrally of said contact member, and spring means urging said plunger in engagement with said pin member which in turn urges said pin member in engagement with said contact member.

2. In a switch of the class described, a casing having a tiltable contact member arranged therein, a nipplelilie member arranged on one side of said casing having an annular spherical bearing surface arranged therein, a manually operated lever having a spherical portion fitting and turning on said bearing surface, a plunger arranged in the inner end of said lever having an arcuate-shaped end, a spring in said lever tending to force the plunger outwardly and the spherical portion against the annular bearing surface, a floating pin member arranged in said casing and extending between the center of said contact member and the end of said plunger, said pin memher having a concavity arranged in the outer end thereof in which the arcuate end portion of said plunger is positioned and an arcuate-shaped end portion on the opposite end thereof which is positioned in a concavity arranged in said contact member centrally thereof, a base member made of insulating material attached to said casing on that side thereof opposite that from said nipple-like memher, at least a pair of fixed contacts carried by said base member with one arranged at either side of the center thereof, pivotal supporting means arranged centrally of said base for tiltably supporting said contact member, said pivotal supporting means consisting of a member having a substantially V-shaped notch therein which is adapted to act as a bearing, said contact member having substantially a V-shaped projection carried thereby which is positioned in said V-shaped notch, means for preventing transverse movement of said V-shaped projection relative to said V-shaped notch so as to prevent displacement thereof, and a pair of contacts carried by said contact member with one arranged at each end thereof which co-operates with the fixed contacts carried by said base to open and close a circuit.

3. In a switch of the class described, a casing having a tiltable contact member arranged therein, a nipplelike member arranged on one side of said casing having an annular spherical bearing surface arranged therein, a manually operated lever having a spherical portion fitting and turning onsaid bearing surface, a plunger arranged in the inner end of said lever having an arcuateshaped end, a spring in said lever tending to force the plan er outwardly and the spherical portion against the annular bearing surface, a floating pin member arranged in said casing and extending between the center of said contact member and the end of said plunger, said pin member having a concavity arranged in the outer end thereof in which the arcute end portion of said plunger is positioned and an arcuate-shaped end portion on the opposite end thereof which is positioned in a concavity arranged in said contact member centrally thereof, a base member made of insulating material attached to said casing on that side thereof opposite that from said nipplelike member, at least a pair of fixed contacts carried by said base member with one arranged at either ide of the center thereof, pivotal supporting means arranged centrally of said base for tiltably supporting said contact member, said pivotal supporting means consisting of a member having a pair of inwardly extending spacedapart flange portions with a V-shaped notch arranged in each of said flange portions in alignment with one another, said contact member having a pair of spaced substantially V-shaped projections which are spaced-apart substantially the same distance as said flange portions and which are positioned in the V-shaped notches thereof, means for preventing transverse movement of said V-shaped projections relative to said flange portions so as to prevent displacement of said projections from their position in said notches, and a pair of contacts carried by said contact member with one arranged at each end thereof which co-operates with the fixed contacts carried by said base to open and close a circuit. 7

4. in a switch of the class described, a casing, a base attached to said casing having at least a pair of fixed con tacts with one arranged at opposite ends thereof, a tiltable contact member arranged in said casing having contact means arranged at each end thereof adapted to engage alternately with the respective fixed contacts, current carrying fulcrum means carried by said base pivotally supporting said contact member centrally thereof, said current carrying means consisting of a member having a substantially if-shaped notch therein which is adapted to act as a bearing, said contact member having substantially a ll-shaped projection carried thereby which is positioned in said V-shaped notch, means for preventing transverse movement of said l-shaped projection relative to said V- shaped notch so as to prevent displacement thereof, actuating means for tilting said contact members including a manually operated lever having a plunger slidably arranged in a bore therein axially thereof, a spring arranged in said bore for urging said plunger outwardly, and a floating pin-like member arranged within said casing, one end of said pin-like member engaging the outer end of said plunger and the opposite end of said pin-like member engaging said tiltable contact member centrally thereof.

5. In a switch of the class described, a casing, a base attached to said casing having at least a pair of fixed contacts with one arranged at opposite ends thereof, a tiltable contact member arranged in said casing having contact means arranged at each end thereof adapted to engage alternately With the respective fixed contacts, current carrying fulcrum means carried by said base pivotally supporting said contact member centrally thereof, said current carrying means consisting of a member having a pair of inwardly extending spaced-apart flange portions with a V-shaped notch arranged in each of said flange portions in alignment with one another, said contact mem ber having a pair of substantially V-shaped projections which are spaced-apart substantially the same distance as said flange portions and which are positioned in the V- shaped notches thereof, means for preventing transverse movement of said V-shaped projections relative to said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,312,692 Hornung Aug. 12, 1919 1,812,914 Williams July 7, 1931 2,641,663 Krieger June 9, 1953 2,706,753 McGowan Apr. 19, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 608,820 Great Britain Sept. 21, 1948 626,139 Great Britain July 11, 1949 

